YESTERDAY. TODAY. TOMORROW: TrueSkool

YESTERDAY. TODAY. TOMORROW. returns with another engaging episode as we welcome guests, co-Executive Directors of TrueSkool, Shalina Ali and Fidel Verdin, celebrating their long-standing presence in the community and their upcoming “Summer Park Jam Weekend 2025.” The event, kicks off on Friday, August 8th, with exclusive CEO Sessions. An opportunity for  networking among creatives, media makers, young professionals, and entrepreneurs. A highlight of these sessions will be an exclusive convo with hip-hop legends EPMD (Erick Sermon and Parrish Smith), who will share their extensive expertise on topics ranging from production and publishing to longevity and touring in the music industry. The event seeks to provide immense value to attendees, particularly artists and creative industries in Milwaukee, with limited seating available through RSVP at trueskool.org/summerparkjam.

Shalina and Fidel share their personal inspirations for dedicating themselves to this work. Fidel attributes his drive to his parents, who instilled in him the importance of action and creativity, fostering an artistic environment where “everything was creative as possible.” Shalina, whose mother was a seamstress and cook and her father a “serial entrepreneur,” learned resourcefulness and resilience. She also highlights her experience growing up in a “highly racially charged childhood” as a mixed-race individual (Pakistani father, Mexican mother), which fueled her “love for culture, diversity, and flavor” and led her to find healing and community through poetry, photography, and hip-hop culture. Their early engagement with hip-hop, from breaking and graffiti to forming crews and understanding its power to mobilize, laid the foundation for their commitment to fostering community and education through TrueSkool.

Enjoy this fun, rollicking and informative conversation that delves into our subjects, yesterday, today and tomorrow!!